Game apparatus.



H.' D. .MoDONALD. GAME APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED DEO.12, 1913.

1,1 16,459, Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

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HENRY D. MCDONALD, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification 01'. Letters Patent.

Application filed December 12, 1913.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914. Serial No. 808,149.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY D. MCDONALD, a citizen of the United States, residing in the village of Oak Park, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

, My invention relates to game apparatus and has for its objects the provision of amusement, exercise, and the acquisition of dexterity and skill.

, My new game may be played in the open air upon the ground, in a gymnasium or hall upon the floor, or in a dwelling house upon an ordinary table, it being only necessary to vary the proportions of the apparatus for these several. uses. When played in the open air or in a gymnasium the game resembles lawn tennis and volleyball to some extent, and when played upon the top surface of a table it resembles to some extent the game of parlor tennis. In these three games mentioned one or more persons arrange themselves on opposite sides of a net and vie with each other in returning a ball over the net and into the opponents territory. In the present game the object of the player or players is to pocket the ball in a suitable receptacle positioned between them.

In the dnwing which accompanies this application and forms a part thereof I have representedin perspective view suitable apparatus for playing my new game. The surface '5 may be considered a court similar to a tennis court, or a gymnasium floor, or, as specifically shown, a table top. The receptacle 6 may be conveniently and is preferably made of fabric, such as netted cords, and its edges are suit-ably reinforced with a binding 7, and this binding may be secured together at each end, as at 8, thus forming a pocket to prevent a ball within the recep tacle from rolling out. This preferably elongated receptacle 6 may suitably be held in position by means of cords, as 9 and 10, which may pass within the upper binding material 11, and he engaged by spacing elements 12 at suitable distances so that the upper edges 11 of the receptacle will be held apart, thus forming an opening or gateway 13. Where the apparatus is made on a small scale, as for use on a dining room table, only two such spacing blocks are required. While the receptacle 6 may be supported between the walls of a gymnasium or hall in any approved manner, for outdoor use or for use on a table suitable standards, as 1st, are preferably provided, the upper portions of which may be notched, as at 14%,, whereby the cords 9 and 10 may conveniently be drawn taut and secured to the standards respectively, as by a half hitch. For table use I provide clamping elements 15 comprising in preferred form spring wire bent in the manner illustrated adapted to engage the underside of the table top and the top surfaces respectively of the bases 16 of the standards 14:. The standards and their bases as well as the spacing blocks 12 may be formed of wood or any other suitable ma terial. The receptacle 6 divides the playing surface 5 into oppositely disposed courts, 5"" and 5 within which respectively the oppositely arranged players or sides confine their play.

The game may be played by two or more persons, and, as in volley-ball, a considerable number of persons may be engaged as teams upon opposite sides ofthe receptacle 6. As illustrated by the dotted lines in the drawings the ball 17 is put into play by be ing struck, preferably with the hand, and preferably caused tobounce from the playing surface or court, as 5, the object of the as 5", in the direction of the opening lt-l of the players and without the bounce, as in outdoor or gymnasium work, an elastic leather covered ball, such as is used in the game of volley-ball, may be used. The bounce is preferable in all uses of the game for the reason that it prevents the players from crowding unduly to the goal and renders the scoring of points more diflicult.

When the game 1s played on a table by two persons, the preferred manner is as follows: The person putting the ball into play is called the server and continues to serve until twenty-one points are scored by either side. His opponent is called the receiver. When either side scores twenty-one points the ball passes, the server becoming receiver and the receiver becoming the server. The server calls the score after each count, calling his own score first. I

The ball is struck downward from a bounce and is bounced toward the goal. A player scores three points each time he lands the ball in the net. A player scores one point each time his opponent fails to serve or return the ball properly over the net and within the bounds, unless the opponent succeeds in landing the ball in the pocket, in which case the opponent scores.

A player scoring twenty-one points obtains the advantages or half. To win the game it is necessary for the player having the advantage to score fifteen additional points before his opponent scores twenty-one. Should the opponent score twenty-one points before the player having the advantage scores fifteen the oppo nent then has the advantage and must then make fifteen additional points as above noted in order to win the game. The game is continued until. one player scores twentyone points and fifteen points in succession.

Vith four persons playing, two on each side, the preferred manner of playing is as above except that each player must strike the ball in his turn. Should a player strike the ball out of his proper turn it scores one point for the opposing side.

I have constructed and placed in use a considerable number'of the apparatus herein described and find that not only do younger persons play it enthusiastically for hours at a time, accompanied by great hilarity and other evidences of keen enjoyment, but older persons also find much pleasure in attempting to excel in the skill required successfully to play the game. The

by me as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. Game apparatus of the character de-' scribed comprising in combination a playing surface comprising two oppositely disposed courts, a single pocket-like receptacle positioned intermediate said courts, said receptacle having a singleupwardly disposedopening therein forming a gate-way for the passage into said receptacle of a playing ball While the same is in play, means for adustably maintaining said receptacle in playing position above said playing surface and intermediate said courts, said openingor gate-way being so arranged that such ball may be driven thereinto from either of said oppositely disposed courts.

2. Game apparatus adapted for indoor use comprisin in combination a single relatively long and narrow receptacleof flexible fabric, means for maintaining the upper walls thereof apart so as to form a single relatively long and narrow opening in the top thereof, pairof standards adapted to rest upon the top surface of a table, means for clamping said standards upon said table at opposite sides thereof, and means for adjustably securing the end portions of said receptacle to said standards respectively whereby said receptacle may be secured and maintained in playing position above the top surface of tables of various widths.

HENRY D. MCDONALD itnesses i T. D. BUTLER, M. M. KRIESAND.

Copies of this natent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

